Right now, there are more than fifty incredible poverty alleviation projects that have been designed and partially funded in communities across El Salvador, Nepal and Guatemala.

Local churches partnering with ENLACE maximize their efforts by connecting strategically with local organizations and local volunteers which provide both valuable resources and labor. These churches have learned how to bring everyone together to create projects that solve very difficult problems such as the need for clean water, waste management, adequate shelter, and food and income security. All we need to do is match their donations.

It is hard to believe that in 2018 ENLACE is celebrating 25 years of God mobilizing his Church to transform communities. I feel so honored and proud to be a small part of what God is doing through the Church, restoring people’s spiritual and physical lives worldwide. I am truly grateful to all our donors and partners who have given sacrificially for so many years to help mobilize the churches to transform the lives of so many in great need.

Had I known what God’s plan was for my life, I would have paid more attention in English class. Never in my wildest dreams did I, a small town girl from a primarily Afrikaans-speaking community in South Africa, envision living in the US, working at a church and going on Outreach trips.

ENLACE has empowered church coaches all over the world to help churches engage with their communities since 1993.

2018 marks **ENLACE's 25th anniversary**, and we thought some of you might like to know about a few independent sources that talk about what ENLACE has been doing over the years. These scholars are highlighting the fact that a growing number of Pentecostal churches are engaging in community development activities and that they are in effect contributing to broader social change. They also suggest that ENLACE has played a vital role in preparing and equipping these churches to work with community associations and government entities to develop effective solutions to poverty.

All year long we have learned together about El Salvador, Nepal, community transformation, and impact. Here are the top five most read blogs of 2017. If you missed them the first round, now is your chance to equip yourself and share with a friend.

Every year, just before Christmas, ENLACE hosts a Pastors and Leaders Retreat. It is the one time when all of our local church partners and staff get a chance to learn together, pray and encourage one another, and have a lot of fun! Every year it has been something special. There was one year, however, that stands out and continually reminds me of ENLACE's purpose and vision.

“These people seem so happy! They seem so thankful, even though it seems that they have so little to be thankful for.” This is a sentiment that I have frequently heard during my 15 years of introducing North Americans to people in rural El Salvador. While El Salvador does indeed rank very high on the “happiness index” there is something disconcerting about calling impoverished families “happy” and “thankful.” I think something else might be going on here. Could it be that visiting an impoverished community simply shifts our baseline for how we measure happiness and thankfulness?

In a few days' time, people all over the world will commemorate two Catholic feast days, All Saints and All Souls, with exuberant parties, celebrated with special foods and dances, and quiet candlelit vigils, marked by contemplation and prayer.

The history of these days is fascinating, but having grown up in a Protestant household and community, these celebrations were not a part of my religious or cultural experience. For me, it wasn’t until November 2001 that I was able to see the power that these remembrance days could have.

32 families will have life saving latrines along with health education and technical assistance for building and maintaining their composting latrines. Over the last few weeks you have jumped on board the potty train. You have done your doodie! You paired your potty.

We are celebrating 12 families, individuals, churches, and schools who stepped up as Doodie Directors to raise funds for a latrine. Many others of you gave directly to the campaign. Thank you!

This two minute video gives you a quick overview of the process and benefit of latrines in communities in El Salvador.

Although we have wrapped up the Pair Your Potty campaign and won't keep pushing right now, churches in El Salvador continue to identify families in need of latrines as they work toward healthy communities. There are literally thousands of pottys still to be paired. You can support them by starting your own Pair Your Potty campaign at any point. It's a fun way to get kids, groups, teams, and families engaged in making an impact globally. All the resources you need to start your campaign are at www.pairyourpotty.org

Maria is a 49 year-old, single mother of five daughters. She and her family have struggled to make ends meet for as long as Maria can remember. Like most of her neighbors in Sirigual, a remote village located in the dramatic mountainscape of El Salvador, she has only a 3rd grade education and lives a subsistent life. Her family lives in a small, simple home and collects water from a nearby river for drinking and bathing, which is also where they wash their clothes.

Yay, it's September! Kids are in school, and Autumn is in the air! It's a golden time of busses and no. 2 pencils; of old fashion Pee-Chees and pumpkin lattes. What's not to love?

Hmmm... Like you, I can think of a few things not to love.

How about grouchy mornings and the dreaded lunch-box scramble; the cold and flu season that starts all too quickly; and the science projects that rely on macaroni noodles and copious amounts glue or switch boards and tiny light bulbs, all requiring a parent (and possibly two) to complete.

If you're already overwhelmed, you're not alone. There is one thing we can take off your list.

ENLACE is offering to sign off on Community Service Hours for your child. As a U.S. non-profit, we can provide you with a bonafide option.

And it's easy. Just join the Pair Your Potty campaign by Friday September 15.Your kids can really make an impact by raising funds for a Life Saving Latrine, health education and ongoing support for a family in an impoverished community in El Salvador! Once the kids have put in the hours raising the funds, email mbueno@enlace.link to sign off on the hours.